Omaha daily bee., 1887-09-19

Rev. O. W. savidge Talks to Yosag Men
About Swearing.
A GREAT AMERICAN HA2iT.
One Which is Growing Upon Our
Youths and Fast Becoming .
Crying Evil-A Rcportorial
Illustration.


M. L. church. 1t was one of the popu-
lar series which have been delivered es-
pecially to young men at this church
during the past six weeks, the text being
taken from James v:12: But above all
things, brethren, swear not, neither by
heaven, neither by the earth, neither by
any other oath: but let your yea be yea;
and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into con-
demnation."
The first man, said the preacher, who
swore profane oath, was born good
while ago. On opening the Oldest book
in the world we see that they knew some-
thing Of this baneful art. Jobs wife told
her husband to curse God. 1t Is bad
enough when man has an
oath in his heart, but it is far
worse when q woman is profane.
Men swear IN almost every language and
in nearly every land under the sun, but
the English language is the great vehicle
of profanity. Americans have taught
other nations how 70 swear and drink
whisky. In our country all classes swear.
The drunkard lives in an atmosphere OF
oaths. The lost woman curses her asso-
ciates as they walk to hell. In our own
city YOU have heard volley of oaths
come from company of little children.
Thew call each other the vilest epithets.
All about us we are growing profane men
and women. Business men swear at
their work. Husbands swear in the pres
ence of wives and children. l even heard
two reporters of our great dailies swear
few days ago. l have known prOfane
church members in this town. When the
devil can get a church member to swear
he is pretty sure of him, Men swear
everywhere-on the streets, in the home,
in the place of business, on the train, in
secret societies, on every hand men are
cursing God and one another. In the
name of all that is pure and holy, is it
not about time to call halt to this awful
sin of profanity?
have asked myself the question, and
have asked it Of others, why do men
sweat? And of all the answers | have
received there is not one valid reason.
Men swear to give emphasis, but 1 pity
the man whose knowledge of English is
SO meager that he must be prCfane in
order to be forcible: Some tell us that
they swear to drive the work along.
Some of the mule drivers in the army
thought the mules would not pull unless
they were sworn at. l know a man in
this town who Is very profane while
about his work and am told the better
business is the more fearfully he swears.
His curses pollute the very neighborhood
in which he lives.
fastened upon them. A habit is something
that has us. and this evil so fastens itself
on men to such degree that they hardly
know when they swear. In many cases
they swear because they have gotten into
bad company. Profane company will
make profane men. Lie down with a
dog and you get up with flea"
But the great reason why men. swear
is the devil is in their hearts, and when
they swear it is only the devil speaking
out. You can't bribe him to keep still.
He will talk and he never uses pure
language.
We have some arguments against this
fearful SIN and We would denounce it
with every power we possess. All good
men are opposed to profane swearing.
Louis TX of France punished anyone
ing their lips with hot iron, and when
some complained that the punishment
was too severe he replied: II would to
| God that By soaring my own lips could
Danish out of my realm all abuse Of oaths. "
| ChrysOstOm was so opposed to swearing
that he recommended that those who
were guilty of the sin should be COM
pelleu W ~ WltuOula u Lieai loI cNeTy odtu
they swore. But | think we could
scarcely find anyone. either good or bad,
advocate the use of profanity. have
never heard man uphold the practice.
| Again, it is absolutely useless. No
inducement is offered by the devil or any
other person for swearing. The profane
man bites perfectly bare hook. The
liar tells the falsehood for purpose.
The thief steals to satisfy his want. The
| ,rHa cI For
for gain, but the swearer swears for
| nothing.
What does Satan pay you for swear.
ing?" asked one man OF another. HE
don't pay me anything" was the reply.
well you work cheap to lay aside the
character of gentleman, to inflict SO
much pain on your friends to suffer, and
| lastly, to risk your own precious soul,
and for nothing. You certainly do work
cheap"
1t is not gentlemanly, no gentleman in
England swears, no gentleman swears
anywhere. The true gentleman is such
at heart, but he is not prOfane. 1t is the
one who wishes to degrade himself to the
very lowest level of pollution and shame
that swears. 1t is disgusting to the
refined and abominable to the good
1t is a sin against the state. Most civil
lied states have made swearing a crime
In Great Britain profanity is punishable
by the civil law. Scotland legislates
against swearing, and we may add thai
In the United States also most of the
state laws make swearing punishable
otfense for which fine may be imposed
1t is a SIN against God. One of the first
commandments God ever gave to men
was: Thou shalt not take the name OF
the Lord, thy God, in vain, for the Lord
will not hold him guiltless that taketf
his name in vain" And in our text Goo
says "Swear not" You know it is SIN
You remember how faithfully your pre-
clOus parents warned you against this
sin against God. You recall how much
you were frightened when you swort
your first oath, and then how your sou
became callOuSed TIL you hardly knew
when you added new oath to your al
most countless number. To invoke the
vengeance of God is, perhaps, the mos
awful offense in the sight Of our Father
The text says the swearer falls into con
demnaton. Swearing leads to othel
sins; it never stands alone. The swearel
is usually liar, condemning what Goo
has not condemned.
IF you should ask me what thu
cure for this great evil is l would say
"Be man and stop" Are you gOinl
to let a habit down you and hold yol
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